At the end of 2020, Osman Consulting (OC) operated a rehabilitation programme to repair seven damaged homes in Nahlaia, providing families with a safe, secure and warm place to live in time for the coldest winter months. Nahlaia is in Idleb governorate in the north west of Syria where there has been extensive damage to infrastructure due to the war, and there are a high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in rented homes.
Rehabilitation included work such as replacing broken doors and windows for increased privacy, and rebuilding collapsed walls which risked the safety of the inhabitants. This project ensured that families maintained their dignity, by including beneficiaries in the decision making process through a participatory approach. The families worked alongside the project team to decide collaboratively on what works needed to be done, helping to instil a sense of hope and ownership for the family over their home.
Over 11 million people in Syria require ongoing humanitarian assistance (HNO, 2020) as a result of the conflict, with millions displaced and many host communities under significant pressure due to a lack of resources. Millions of people are at risk this winter due to the extreme cold temperatures, and the added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, living in structures which lack adequate facilities to keep themselves safe and warm.
Home rehabilitations provide families with a long-term solution, reducing the likelihood of their further relocation. This encourages people to return to income generating activities and children to return to education, therefore contributing to the much needed stabilisation of the region.
This work marked the first phase of an ongoing programme in North West Syria, which will now continue to provide those most in need with improved shelter.
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